Press Coffee+Crepes was voted by the Elon community as the “Best Breakfast” spot. Jason Cox and Brett Debris, founders of Press, said they wanted to stand out when creating a business.
General manager Ashley Aguirre has managed Press since June 2020 and said the owners both had their own ideas for a business and decided to combine the two together.
Aguirre said the city of Graham has also made Press the restaurant it is today. Aguirre grew up in Fayetteville, not far from Graham, and said it has a similar small town feeling.
“It just feels like another adorable home for me,” Aguirre said.
Students like sophomore Lauren Schenk find the vibe of the restaurant attractive.
“The food, staff and atmosphere were amazing which made it such an enjoyable experience. It felt very similar to one of my favorite breakfast spots in Connecticut which made me feel at home,” Schenk said.
Aguirre treasures the different groups of Elon students who frequent Press. She loves to see familiar faces and feels that the students bring a vibrant energy to the restaurant. Along with the local Graham residents, Press loves both the new and returning customers, according to Aguirre.
“It's an honor to be a part of students’ lives like this, and that's really how we feel about our Elon students is that we get to be part of these memories, even if we aren't proactively a part of them,” Aguirre said.